October of last year I had the opportunity to give a presentation on Critical Race Theory (CRT) to a retirement community in Lancaster, PA. The presentation included an overview of CRT and a critique from a biblical perspective. We also had some quality Q&A with the attendees. Listen Now
Author: Julian Stoltzfus
The Arminian/Calvinism Conflict and Why It Matters | Part One
This series is from the From the Editor's Desk column of the Sword and Trumpet. The articles were co-authored by Paul Emerson and myself. Throughout church history the two truths of the free will of man and the sovereignty of God have often been presented as oppositional to one another. Whole systems of dogmatic theology … Continue reading The Arminian/Calvinism Conflict and Why It Matters | Part One
Third Culture and the Loss of Biblical Authority
Carl Trueman, in his book The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self, says that there are essentially three ways societies justify their morality, three authorities which are ultimately operative in the culture.[1] In the first, morality is based on myth or legend. These are pagan cultures; the example Trueman gives is of Sparta, whose … Continue reading Third Culture and the Loss of Biblical Authority
Podcast: Hold Fast to Christ – Hebrews 4:14-16 [Expositions]
Persevering faith is not oriented inward, where we dig in, work harder, and do better. Rather, it is oriented outward. Our faith—our confidence—is in Christ. We are to hold fast our confession that Christ has accomplished salvation for us and we will be saved if we put our faith in Him. Listen Now
The Necessity of Divine Revelation | Part Five
Our efforts at self-discovery are feeble and frail compared to the effectual word of God. Scripture reveals our condition. But it is not just true that Scripture is one place where we can know ourselves correctly. It is certainly true that Scripture is the only place we can go to know ourselves as we ought. Read More
Podcast: Naked Before God – Hebrews 4:11-13 [Expositions]
Scripture reveals who we really are. It cuts through our facades, exposing our true selves. When it works on us, we are laid bare before God. Though we may be able to maintain a veneer of righteousness in our own efforts, Scripture peels it back and uncovers our sinful hearts. And in the final judgment, it will reveal our sin before the thrice-holy God. Not one thing can be hidden from Scripture’s razor scalpel. It “is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Listen Now
Podcast: Rest in Christ – Hebrews 4:1-10 [Expositions]
In Christ we find rest from the toil of self-righteousness—our striving to be good enough, our attempts to atone for our own sins. True rest, gospel rest, is experienced when we come to Christ, believing in Him, trusting in Him, and receiving the good things God offers us in Him. Listen Now
Audio: How to Study the Bible
Podcast: Confidence in Christ – Hebrews 3:7-19 [Expositions]
Christians ought to be confident people. Not in ourselves and not in our works, that's self-righteousness and self-centeredness. Our confidence is never in ourselves; we are those who "put no confidence in the flesh." Our confidence is in Christ. We know, because God has said it is true, that Christ has accomplished salvation for us. Our confidence is in Him. Listen Now
The Necessity of Divine Revelation | Part Four
Without Scripture we would hopelessly flounder in search of the truth. We must realize, though, that we suffer the same when we neglect the word of God. We in the 21st century have more access to the word of God than any other generation. This is a privilege, but it leads us to underappreciate what we have. This deluge often produces apathy toward what we have. Our ready access to Scripture can, ironically, lead us to neglect it. Read More